B00528UTDS EBOK (17 page)

If Beth wasn’t with Donavan, what happened to her? It must be exactly as she suspected. Her sister found a vampire that would turn her.

“So you have had my daughter all of this time?” he asked.

Jeanie nodded, unsure how to react to the news that her sister didn’t just abandon her daughter for this vampire, but was truly missing. There were just too many emotions hitting her all at once. She felt disbelief, horror, and even anger at Donavan for bringing such tragedy to her family.

“How would I go about finding my sister and protecting Sarah?” Jeanie asked, her voice trembling.

Donavan shook his head. “There is no telling what happened to Beth, particularly as she has been gone so long. Sarah must come home to New Orleans, where I can keep her safe from my brother.”

“The lycan felt it would be better if she stayed away from New Orleans,” Jeanie informed him.

“Well he is not her father … I am.” Donavan’s voice was hard and unyielding.

“But Sarah will be safer if they don’t know where she is?” Jeanie was leery about bringing her niece to New Orleans, and into the midst of so many vampires.

Jeanie pulled out her notebook and a pen, handing them to Donavan. He scrawled something on the paper and gave it back to her. “Ethan is a vampire, but he is also a private investigator. He can help you retrace Beth’s movements after she left.”

“That’s it? That’s all you can do to help find the woman that gave up everything for you?” Jeanie was furious.

Donavan lifted his hands in a gesture of helplessness. “My concern must be for my daughter at this time. Beth has been gone a long time. I suspect that you may not like what you find.”

“Don’t you think you should tell him everything?” Jeanie drew her brows together, unsure if she trusted Darrien with her niece’s life.

Donavan smiled. “I cannot help but wonder what happened to this woman that you loved? What happened that she should perish to then be reborn as my daughter?”

Darrien said nothing. How could he tell Sarah’s father that it had been his fault that Caroline died?

Donavan held up his hand. “Do not worry. I don’t believe in such things, but as long as it keeps you from harming my daughter, you are welcome to believe it. Maybe you will actually find salvation in your belief?”

Jeanie wanted to defend the concept of reincarnation because she knew it to be real, but she didn’t necessarily believe it to be the case with Sarah. Darrien had fallen in love with their ancestress, and saw similarities in Sarah. It was only natural that he would see similarities. After all, Sarah was descended from Caroline Fabre, as all Fabre witches were.

“You can both get started by contacting Ethan,” Donavan told them.

* * * *

Lex enjoyed the cool night breeze that had finally brought some relief from the stifling heat of the day. Sitting back on the bench, he watched as a young couple strolled through the square.

Jackson Square was one of his favorite spots in New Orleans, and one that he visited often. It provided him a way to step back and watch the world around him. The people were interesting, but what was even more fascinating were all of the other creatures that you could spot while watching from the sidelines. The people went about their business completely oblivious of those creatures. They just didn’t know how to spot them.

Just as Lex was ready to glance at his watch, he saw the vampire emerge from the shadows of the St. Louis Cathedral. If you knew what to look for, there was no mistaking Donavan for anything other than what he was. He was all that one might imagine a vampire to be.

“And then what? Will you kill your own brother to protect her … a girl that should never have been born? Will you go against your own species and the ancients to keep her safe?” Lex asked.

“If need be, yes!” Donavan glared at him.

“I don’t believe that you would,” Lex stated.

“Why do you think it is your place to interfere with the immortals?” Donavan’s voice was even, but his fury shone through in his eyes.

“It’s all about balance,” Lex told him. “If it continues like it has, that balance will be thrown off. When that happens then we must go to war to protect what we have been charged with protecting.”

Donavan stepped closer. “She belongs with her own kind. You are endangering anyone that is with her.”

Lex said nothing.

“If you tell me where to find Sarah, I give you my word that she will be safe, and that I will stand against my own kind to keep the balance that you speak of. I know that you will need my support to accomplish this,” Donavan added.

Lex eyed the vampire, wondering just how far he could be trusted.

* * * *

Leaning against the balcony railing, Sarah gazed up at the dark sky - losing herself in the beauty of the night. From where she stood, the lights of Reno did not obscure the stars. When she looked to her left, she could see the neon lights of the casinos that made up much of the city. The location was perfect really. She was close enough to the city for easy access, but far enough away that she could still enjoy the night sky.

Though she had not come to Reno under the best of circumstances, her situation had turned out better than what she had hoped. Summer was fun to be with, and she didn’t seem the least concerned about Sarah’s background. Inhaling deeply, she savored the scent of roses that clung to the cool night air. Vine roses climbed the balcony rails, adding color to the already lovely view from Summer’s apartment.

Closing her eyes, Sarah’s thoughts drifted to the one person she should not let herself think about. There hadn’t been a single sign of Darrien since leaving Sutter Point, but what had she expected? It wasn’t as if he would have the slightest idea where to find her. In fact, he wasn’t supposed to know where to find her.

When she thought of Darrien, she could not help but remember back to that night in the hedge maze. She remembered how magical it had felt to be in his arms - to feel his touch and how easily he had brought her to a place of pure bliss. Never in her life had she felt as safe as she had in his arms.

But then there was the darkness that had crept up on her - the craving for his blood, and the fear that she had turned. The shadow of uncertainty still taunted her, while her heart continued to call out to him. She yearned for his nearness and the safety of his arms, but then there was Caroline. Could she live with his love for this witch that had lived so long ago?

“You are Caroline.” A voice echoed in her head.

In her dreams she relived Caroline’s horror and felt the utter hopelessness of loving an immortal. She felt the fierce need to protect her child, but was she remembering or simply picking up on Caroline’s energy with her own psychic abilities?

How could she ever know for sure if she really was Caroline, or just a reflection of the witch?

Blinking rapidly, she tried to hold back the hot tears that stung her eyes. If only Darrien loved her and not someone that he wanted her to be. Sarah was pulled from her thoughts when Summer slid the glass door open and stuck her head out.

“Well we all have a right to do that sometimes. Is there anything I can do?” Summer took a seat at the small patio table that sat in the middle of the balcony.

“Well … I know you are in trouble and that you are a friend of Lex’s. I also know that your father is a member of the vampire race. But I have to tell you, I’ve never actually seen a vampire.”

“Well you have now. In a way … I’m a vampire,” Sarah told her. “Darrien is a vampire. He was turned hundreds of years ago. He thinks I am the reincarnation of a witch that he loved back then.”

“Are you?” Summer asked, before taking a drink of her soda.

Sarah shrugged her shoulders. “She is one of my ancestors. I’ve had dreams of her and what happened to her, but I don’t know if it’s just something I’m picking up from her spirit.”

“And you want this guy to love you for you, and not because he thinks you’re someone else?”

Sarah nodded.

“I know how you feel,” Summer admitted. “There’s this guy … I think I fell in love with him years ago, when I was just a little girl. He doesn’t know I’m alive … he still thinks I’m a child.”

For a time, Summer seemed to be lost in memory, but then she smiled. “You know, the two of us shouldn’t be sitting here pouting about the men we can’t have. We should be out having fun.”

“Oh I don’t know,” Sarah said, shaking her head. “I’ve never been too good with the whole social scene.”

“Nonsense!” Summer stood up. “It’s too late tonight, but maybe we could hit the town tomorrow night. What do you say?”

A sly smile spread across Sarah’s face. “On one condition. You let me try a spell first. One for me and one for you.” Now that she had been initiated into the coven, she’d been anxious to try out a spell. Why not one that might help both of them?

“Okay,” Summer shrugged. “I guess it couldn’t hurt. I sure need a way to open that man’s eyes, or at least get him here so I have a chance to open them myself.”

Sarah broke off two white roses and placed them side-by-side on the table. She then picked up one and placed it in the palm of her hand. Closing her eyes, she gently blew on the flower. Magically, each petal began to separate from the flower and float in the air, before drifting away into the night sky. Soon all of the petals were gone.

Sarah repeated the spell. This time she sent the petals into the wind to bring back
her
true love.

“I guess we’ll put this to the test tomorrow night.” Summer got up from her chair. “This should be interesting.”